Eternal Darkness
by ccootttt
Summary: Years ago the tyrant Darkseid cemented his rule over Earth. Despite the valiant attempts of many heroes, only two were left standing, and soon they too fell. With the world in a dire state, can anyone restore it to it's former glory, or will it be forever plunged into eternal darkness?
1. Prologue

Two remained standing. A battle lasting four years. Hundreds of heroes stepped up to the challenge and all fell in a brutal massacre of humiliating anguish and pain, while the innocent perished in a valiant attempt to assist, and now there were only two left. Others who dared oppose the onslaught were taken prisoner, the lucky ones were killed. No one was safe here, not any more. The wise had fled, the foolish fought back and acted as an example towards those considering disobedience; leaving the left over souls empty and scared into slavery, that is all except for that pair.

Diana whimpered, clutching her ribcage, breathing heavily. The princess f the Amazons never accepted defeat, but it seemed that defeat wasn't as avoidable as she once thought. Her eyelids drooped as she anxiously watched his men surround her. He was close; she could smell it. He left an odour in the air, one which she had become all too familiar with over the past few years, and continued t haunt her no matter where she ventured. The pungent aroma of burning and decay clung to her now, he had killed, she had killed, they all had killed; innocence was no longer present on earth. They stopped advancing, their weapons pointed threateningly at her as her eyes followed the small path forming before her. The clearing was small, but she knew all to well what was about to force it's way through, she could feel it in her aching bones.

"Wonder Woman." The booing voice greeted, "It's taken longer than I predicted, but I shouldn't have underestimated your efforts."

Her breathing slowed, becoming heavier. Silence engulfed the battlefield as Darkseid stepped towards her, dragging a broken an behind him. She wanted to pounce, attack the brute before her and make him pay for all he had done, yet she lacked even the strength to rise from her knees. He dropped Superman, laving him to crumple on the ravaged ground and continued to walk forward.

"You're quite the warrior my dear," He continued, "An interesting specimen indeed." He reached her, and bent down so they were face to face. "And may I add, it's nice to see you kneeling before me."

"I'll never bow to you!" She snarled, gripping him by the throat.

A chuckle escaped his dry lips, "You appear to have weakened since I last encountered you." He casually wrapped his fingers around her wrist and pulled her away and his throat free with one swift movement. Holding her at arms length, he watched her struggle as he tightened the vice which was his hand. "My offer still stands Amazon, it is your decision."

She closed her eyes tightly and pushed his wrist in a futile attempt to free herself. Opening them again, she failed to conceal the tears brimming, "What choice do I have?" She said half heartedly.

"Well, you can surrender and take the easy way out, or you can resist and take the long way around to the same fate." His eyes began to glow a menacing red, "Choose now."

Diana bit her lip and glanced at Superman. She sighed and raised her head to head, "I'll never surrender." She spat.

"Fine." Darkseid seethed, "I'll make you submit, one way or another."

Superman's bleary eyes fluttered open. He could hear screaming, sobbing and plea's for help. He knew the voice, he'd heard it many times before, laughing and joking, but never like this. A groan escaped his lips as he pushed himself up, feeling a sharp pain rushing through his weakened frame. With gritted teeth, he turned his head to see Darkseid with his arms holding Wonder Woman close to him. "Diana!" He yelled, staggering to his feet.

Her sobbing ceased momentarily as she listened to his voice, but her head still drooped and her body remained limp. "C-Clark?" She croaked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Ahh, Kal-el, you have awoken n time to watch your friend surrender." Darkseid taunted.

"Let her go." Superman scolded, stepping towards them, "If you hurt her Darkseid I'll-"

A laugh interrupted him, "I only wish to show her reason." Darkseid said, caressing Diana's hair, "She'd be much better off working for me, training my furies."

"We both know what you really want her for, you've been after her for years!" Superman hissed, charging towards them.

The rays from his eyes hit Superman square in the chest before he could reach them, sending him back a few feet. "No Kal-el, if you want what's best for this planet, and your friends, then you will do as I say." Darkseid held Wonder Woman by her hair, pulling her so that Superman could see the tears rolling down her bloody face. "I have them, Batman, The Flash, Hawkgirl, I have them all locked away, disobey me and I'll kill them without hesitation. I'll destroy entire countries, murder far more civilians and it will all be on your head."

Superman froze, Darkseid was right. The planet was in an awful state, but if he reacted then not only would he get himself killed, but the repercussions of his action would mean even more ill fortune for those he cared about and the innocent people he swore to protect. Lowering his head, he closed his eyes in defeat, "What do you want?"

"Either help me maintain my rule on this pathetic planet, or leave."

Gasping, Diana pulled at her hair, "Clark, y-you can't! You-"

"Silence!" Darkseid hissed, "You have no say in this matter."

"I could never help you t rule this world." Superman sighed, his eyes resting on the beaten woman at Darkseid's feet.

"Then you will leave this planet, you shall never return and if you do, humanity will pay for you foolish blunder." Darkseid grinned.

Clenching his fists, Superman looked to the sky' it was over, they had lost. Tears seeped from his eyes as he sighed, "Just kill me." He muttered.

"No," Darkseid smiled, "I want you to be known as a traitor, one who abandoned his people in their time of need. If you stay you will still be a traitor, and if you fight the world will know that their suffering is your fault. You cannot win Superman."

"Fine... I'll leave." Superman said softly, his eyes falling on a crying Amazon.

The look of panic in her yes was undeniable as she tried to pull away from Darkseid, "C-Clark no! Y-You can't leave, we need you!"

"I-I'm so sorry Diana." He whispered, a tear trickling down his face, "But we can't win this time; it's over."

Darkseid smiled again and pulled out a small remote, "Once this tube opens, you will enter it and you will not return, even though I doubt you could find your way back." He flicked a switch and a boom tube appeared before Superman.

Pausing, he looked once more at Diana's pleading face, "Goodbye Diana." He said gently as he walked slowly towards the tube.

"Don't worry Superman, I'll take good care of your little Amazon warrior." Darkseid grinned, stroking her hair softly.

"Clark please don't leave, y-you can't go!" Diana began to plead again, thrashing about in Darkseid's grip, "I-It can't end like this! Clark!"

"I'm sorry Diana..." Superman said again, before diving into the tunnel.

"Clark you can't leave me here like this!" Diana's voice became a mixture of desperation and fear, "Clark! H-He's... You know what he'll do to me! Clark... I-I can't do this alone!"

The tunnel closed, cutting Superman off from Earth."

"Y-You can't leave me with him..." Tears spilled over he edge of her eyes as she stopped struggling and finally accepted defeat.

* * *

_Author's Note: Been planning something like this for a while now, but I've never gotten around to writing it until now. Idea I had about Darkseid taking over the world, and the Justice League being powerless to stop it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, so please leave a review to tell me what you think of this first chapter :) Any suggestions will be appreciated and considered ^-^_


	2. The Return

_17 years later..._

"Is it ready?" Clark asked slowly, watching a short, lilac creature before him.

It's three eyes blinked simultaneously as it looked up at him, rubbing it's forehead with it's four fingered hand. "Almost, but I can't guarantee you'll land on Earth." The creature replied, prodding a small device with a metal rod.

"Doesn't matter," Clark murmured gently as the creature handed him the device, "So long as I'm near there it will be fine."

Sighing, the creature glanced at him, "It will be dangerous, we all know what Darkseid is capable of."

Clark's eyes closed slowly, "I can't run any more, Doctor..."

Reassuringly placing a small hand on Clark's back, the creature smiled at him, "You are a braver man than I."

"No..." Clark whispered, his eyes still closed tightly, "I'm nothing but a coward... I abandoned them all."

"From what you have told my people, you are a great hero."

"I was." Clark said simply, opening his eyes again, "But I'm done with hiding."

Pressing a button on the device, Clark watched as a portal opened in front f him, and turned to the creature. "You have helped me greatly Doctor, I promise, I will stop this tyrant from ever harming your world as he did Earth."

Nodding, he smiled again at the muscular man, "Our thoughts are with you Kal-el."

"Goodbye, Doctor."

Groaning, Clark fell out of the other side of the portal, landing on a hard, maroon surface. Dust engulfed him as he hit the ground and left a cloud surrounding him and filled his lungs. Coughing, he wiped the residue from his face and frowned. "Where the hell have I landed?" He muttered to himself bitterly.

The sky was a murky grey colour, bar a few red patches, and left the land in a dim light. Blinking, he tried to ignore the smell of burning which invaded his nostrils, and hovered in the air, gradually getting higher. There was no sing of life around him, only the fierce winds slapping his face with dust so thick that he could barely make out the rest of the landscape. Flying forwards, he attempted to evade the harsh gusts, not sure where he was, or where he was heading.

In the distance, he could see a large outline. He narrowed his bloodshot eyes and began flying faster, holding his breath. He came closer, and flew faster, heart pounding. Finally reaching it, he felt his heart stop pounding...then sink. He was here, he made it to Earth. "Darkseid." He growled, staring at the large stone statue before him. His rage boiled over and he found himself racing forward, punching the statue with all his strength. It began to crack and shake as he did so, "You'll pay for this!" He yelled, hitting it again.

"Hey!" A voice shouted, "What are you doing!"

Clark turned to see a man stood at the base of the statue pointing at him. "You work for him!" Clark responded, his eyes glowing as he took aim on the man below him. He shot and watched in awe as the man ran out f the way, faster than he'd ever seen someone run. Furrowing his brow, he tried again only to see the man dodge it again with lightning speed. A faint glimmer of hope sparked within him, "Flash...?"

Clark searched with wide eyes for the man, but couldn't see him anywhere. "Flash!" He yelled, straining his voice, but there was no response. Spinning around to search again for him,he switched to X-ray vision and checked again, only to be surprised at what he spotted beneath the ground. He could see more people, a group of them, turning he could see that inside the statue were a series of steps leading to the underground chamber.

A frown crossed his chiselled features as he flew down to the base of the statue, using his x-ray vision to seek out any kind of opening. He found one. It was a small stone block making up the statue, but it could be removed. Easily tossing it aside, Clark slipped through the small passage and stumbled down the dark steps in the tunnel. Remaining silent, his sharp hearing picked up voices murmuring; tuning into this, he could recognise them.

"I swear it looked just like him." One voice whispered.

"No, It's impossible." another replied.

Those voices. They were familiar. He knew who it was, he hadn't stopped thinking about them since the day he left. Light could be seen at the end of the passage, and Clark unconsciously walked faster to reach the end. "Flash, Batman..." He called out as he reached the end, "It's been a while."

The pair stared in awe at the man before them, "Clark?" Bruce said, stunned.

Smiling, Clark moved over to him, gripping his hand and shaking it. His eyes scanned the large, dark room, but even in the dim light, he could still make out the figures in the room. His face softened, "You're all here..."

"No." A bitter voice spat back at him from a darkened corner, "We're not."

Clark's head shot around to seek out the owner of the voice, spotting a shadow slumped against the wall. He lowered his head, "Hawkgirl..." He said slowly, "You escaped?"

"Yeah." She hissed, stepping forward, "and so did Batman, the Flash, Lantern and the others, with out help from you."

"I'm sorry." He said gently, his head still lowered, "You have to understand I had no choice."

"You always have a choice, you of all people should know that." She growled, turning away from him, revealing the stumps where her wings had been severed. "You're a coward."

Breathing heavily, he turned to see other faces, some which he did not recognise, staring at him in disgust. "I'm so sorry." He repeated, "I didn't... I never intended... I didn't think it would end up this way."

"And how did you think it would turn out?" Batman said flatly, "We're not miracle workers Clark, we had no chance of beating Darkseid."

Taking another look at the faces in the room, Clark sighed, "There were still a lo of you left, I thought... I thought you might have worked something out." He glanced at Bruce, "I mean, you've all escaped, doesn't that prove you can do this?"

"Seventeen years and nothing to show for it but our supposed _freedom; _great accomplishment." Hawkgirl muttered.

"And not all of us escaped." Bruce added, his voice low.

Eyes narrow, Clark looked at Bruce again, "What? Who didn't make it out, who does he still have?" There was panic in his voice as he lurched towards Bruce.

"Most were killed," Bruce murmured, looking uncomfortable, "But he still has Diana."

"Why haven't you been back for her!" Clark yelled, gripping him by the shoulders.

"It's too risky." He said simply, pulling away from the enraged man. "Besides, we could ask you the same thing; you're the one who abandoned her in the first place."

Hawkgirl sighed, sitting cross legged on the sandy ground, "And I don't think she wants to be rescued now anyway." She ran a hand through her hair, "She's not one of us any more."


	3. Furies

Black boots clicked on the stone path as Granny Goodness marched towards Darkseid, "My Lord, I hope you are impressed with the progression of your furies."

"Very." He smiled, folding his arms, "They have improved greatly since Diana has been coaching them."

Nodding in agreement, Granny glanced at the raven haired woman several feet in front of them barking orders at the sparring women. "She is the champion of the Amazons, she knows better than anyone how a true warrior should fight."

Darkseid stayed silent, watching the woman before him. His eyes narrowed and he turned, lowering his voice, "There is reason to believe a dimensional portal was opened earlier today."

"One of ours?" She asked quietly.

"No." Responded Darkseid, "Do you think that she has something to do with it?" He nodded his head in Diana's direction.

Granny paused, her eyes resting on the Amazon, "No... She pledged her loyalty and hasn't tried anything since, she wouldn't dare oppose you."

"That's what I thought eleven years ago, then she organised that uprising. She is dangerous, do not underestimate her." He ignored Granny as she opened her mouth to reply "Besides, she is still keeping things from us, there are things I've witnessed her do in battle, which she has not yet taught my furies. She is secretive." He then walked towards the balcony overlooking the arena, where Diana stood.

"Keep your footing right, you're not steady!" She snapped, pointing at one of the furies. Sighing in frustration, she brushed the hair from her pale face and looked up at Darkseid through her lashes.

Chuckling, he stood behind her, his hands on her bare shoulders, "Frustrated my dear?" His hands began to massage her roughly as he admired the figure hugging black and red corset resembling a darker version of her former Wonder Woman costume.

"They're not up to scratch." She said simply, attempting to shrug off his hands.

"But they are good." Darkseid insisted, tightening his grip.

Closing her eyes, she sighed again, "They are a small group, very exclusive, but they are not as polished as they should be." She leaned back into him, feeling her head pounding.

"We could always expand." He offered, wrapping an arm around her waist, "It is an exclusive section of my military, but there is always room for a group of Amazons."

Her body tensed, "No." His grip tightened. "We've spoken of this before." His hand travelled to her throat. "The Amazons would never fight for you."

He leaned down t her ear, "You fight for me." He put a slight pressure on her throat.

"T-That's different." She choked slightly, "My Amazon sisters disapprove of out relationship greatly, and you have already forced them into slavery."

She felt him smile against her ear, his hot breath sending chills down her spine, "Their lives would improve dramatically, and you would be in charge... Their ruler, just like on your little Island."

"Do not try and compare the two!" She hissed, "I was not their ruler, I was their sister."

His grip tightened again, cutting off her air supply completely, "Never raise your voice to me." He threatened, "I thought you would have learned this by now."

His hand remained clenched around her throat as she eventually began to struggle, "I-I...I-" She spluttered, feebly pushing his hand away. Eyes rolling back slightly, she felt light headed and stopped trying to break free.

Darkseid dropped her, the smile on his face gone, "Do not forget where you stand, you are my Queen, not my equal." He watched her breathing deeply on her knees as she stared up at him.

"Y-Yes My Lord." She whispered.

Diana waited for him to leave before staggering to her feet, still having difficulty breathing. Shaking her head, her turned back to the furies, "I didn't tell you t stop!" She yelled after realising that the had watched the entire scene unfold. Their judging eyes left her trembling frame and resumed their training.

She watched them fighting for a few minutes when she sensed a presence behind her. "Do not cross him." The voice of Granny Goodness advised.

Not bothering to turn, Diana continued watching her warriors, "I'll keep that in mind." She muttered.

Granny stepped beside her, watching the battle below, "Some of these girls are falling behind."

"I'm aware." Diana said coldly, "I've arranged one to one sessions with the ones that are lagging."

"Out of desire to help, or desire to avoid your King?" Granny asked, her voice gruff.

Sighing, Diana held up a small pistol, "I think you already know the answer." She said abruptly as she pressed the trigger. "That's it for today!" She shouted, watching the girls come to a halt, "Make sure you're on time for your scheduled extra sessions, or else you'll have both me and Granny Goodness to answer to." She put the pistol down on the stone ledge of the balcony.

"When is your first session?" Granny inquired, raising an eyebrow at the stretching Amazon.

Pulling on her upper arm, Diana glanced at the departing furies, "Ten minutes." She raised her arms above her head, "With the Cat, it's always a tough workout with her."

Granny's eyebrows shot up, "Yet she's falling behind?"

Diana shrugged, "She's good, but she likes to do things her own way; doesn't listen to me."

* * *

Bruce flicked on a light switch in a small room and directed for Clark to sit on the edge of a bed, "This is the medical room."

"It's a bit small." Clark said, sitting on the flattened mattress.

"It's the best we have." Bruce muttered, pulling a chair towards the bed.

Scratching the back of his neck, Clark looked at Bruce as he sat down, "How long has it been... Since you've seen Diana." His voice was rough and caught in his throat.

"Too long." Bruce replied, handing Clark a glass of water.

Clark started at the rippling liquid, "Do you hear anything about her?"

"Occasionally." Bruce poured himself some water from a jug and looked back to Clark, "Nothing publicly really, Darkseid keeps her under close surveillance." He took a sip of the water, "But we have an agent on the inside."

Clark's eyes lit up, "I knew you guys would have a plan."

Shaking his head, Bruce placed his glass on a small wooden table besides the bed, "Not really a plan. She was caught, had the choice to join him."

"So she did and now reports back to you?" Clark asked.

Bruce nodded, his eyes on the floor, "I'd rather she didn't, it's too dangerous."

"Do you hear from her a lot?"

Bruce stood up, "No. She's a fury, works with Diana, but like I said, it's dangerous, she can't always report back."

Clark's eyes widened a little as he choked on his water, "Diana's a fury?"

"She's their coach." Bruce shrugged, "In a sense that's worse."

Clark lay down on the bed, "So who's on the inside?"

Bruce was at the door, "Selina." He said softly, his hand on the door handle.

"Catwoman?" Clark asked, fluffing the pillow behind his head.

Eyes on the floor, Bruce sighed heavily, "Yeah... Catwoman." He looked up briefly at lark, unable to hide the look of loss in his eyes, "Get some rest Clark." he muttered as he left.

* * *

_Author's Note: Might take a while to get into the full nitty-gritty of the storyline, but I hope you're enjoying it so far :) A lot of flashbacks to come, so keep an eye out ;)_

_Also, this story could get a little graphic, so I'll warn now that this could end up rated M just to be safe, so try and keep track of it, and please, leave a review for me! :)_


	4. Beauty and the Beast

Breathing deeply, Diana watched the agile woman charge at her, sword bared. Her warrior instincts took over as she deflected the oncoming blow with her shield, and retaliated with a swipe of her own weapon, which was expertly blocked by her attacker. The two parted, and charge again,locking their sword together, "You're getting better." Diana breathlessly praised.

"Thanks." Selina muttered back, finding it hard to gather her own breath. She watched the trained Amazon, her eyes focused as she stared into the crystal orbs of her opponent, enviously, she ground her teeth, noting that this woman hadn't aged a day since they first met.

Smirking, Diana pushed her sword forward, throwing Selina off balance. As she staggered backwards, Diana dodged around her and was soon at her back, ready to strike. Before Selina knew what was happening, her arm was pulled painfully tight up her back, while an arm locked around her throat. "But you're still not good enough."

Snarling, Selina struggled, only to find this much more painful than complying with her coach. Her short black hair was plastered to her face with sweat as she shut her eyes, her glistening chest heaving as she continued to struggle, despite the agony she was feeling in her joints. "Any new information?" She said quietly, her breath catching in her throat as she continued to wriggle.

Diana watched the helpless woman for a moment, "You know I can't risk it right now." She loosened her grip her.

"I understand." Selina mumbled, still unable to break free from the Amazon's grasp.

Glancing around the arena to confirm they were alone, Diana let go of her, "You'll get yourself killed if you're not careful."

Shrugging, Selina rubbed her bruising neck, "Hey, I've lived longer than I thought I would."

A small smile played on Diana's lips, "Go, I have another Fury arriving any minute..." She paused, seeing Selina part her pink lips to speak, "No, I cannot tell you anything." She insisted, handing Selina her sword, "Now go and rest, you need it after I jut kicked your ass."

Clark groaned as light managed to slip through his closed eyes, disturbing his sleep. Now half awake, he was aware of the subtle shuffling noises in the room, and immediately jumped to his feet. He pounced at the intruder, holding his breath as he pinned them against the wall. In the dim light he could barely see who had entered his newly found habitat, and bared his teeth as his eyes adjusted to the lack of lighting.

"Take your hands off me." A female voice growled at him in the darkness.

Letting go, he took a few steps back, "Sorry, Shayera." He mumbled, picking up the torch that had fallen to the floor. "What time is it?" He asked, handing it back to the wingless angel.

"Six o'clock." She turned the light off and switched on a lamp, which illuminated the room fully, "It gets darker a lot earlier now... And being underground doesn't exactly help that."

He tipped his head to one side, the only thing that hadn't changed about this woman was her sarcasm. Looking at her in full light, without her helmet hit him hard. She hadn't aged well. There were clear traces of grey streaking her auburn locks, and despite the smooth appearance of her high cheekbones, the creases surrounding her drooping eyes proved that life had been hard for the Thanagarian woman. Yet the most disturbing difference he could see was the lack of her wings. "Oh." He responded, took taken back by the startling change in his old friend.

Lowering her eyes, Shayera sighed, "You shouldn't have bothered coming back, the League doesn't need any more false hope."

Clark felt his heart sink and perched on the edge of the bed; she'd lost faith in him, but then again, the chances were they all had. "I didn't want to leave you all in that state, I _needed_ to come back. I wanted to help you all... Help Diana."

"Diana doesn't need help!" Shayera scoffed.

He stood up, towering over her, "Yes, she does."

"No." She replied, slouching onto the wooden chair in the room, "Don't you see, she's no longer one of us, she belongs to _him_ now." Clark noted how her face crumpled as she uttered this, "She doesn't want rescuing."

Anger filling his frame, Clark clenched his fists, "How can you say that?" His voice was low, menacing, "She'd never submit to Darkseid; she is stronger than that."

"That's what I thought." Shayera said sourly.

Clark leaned over, face to face with the bitter woman, "You know something," He whispered, eyes narrow, "Something that they don't... They're not this negative about her, but you..."

"I don't know any more than the rest." She spat, "I've just seen a lot more than they have."

"Tell me." Clark said slowly, "Tell me what you've seen." His eyes were wide now, eager to learn more about what had ripped the league apart.

* * *

Rubbing her aching shoulders, Diana walked into a large bathroom, a short dressing gown draped over her loosely. Catching sight of herself in the mirror, she raised her eyebrows, taking note on how filthy she was after such an intense sparring session. Her whole body was aching as she made her way over to the shower and turned it on. As she dropped her gown to the floor, she felt a pair of rough hands land on her shoulders softly. Unable to hold in her gasp, she spun around to meet her husband's broad chest. "Oh... Hello." She said sheepishly, "I didn't hear you come in."

He smiled down at her, his hands still resting on her shoulders. "I thought I'd join you." He pushed her hair back off her dirty face and continued grinning at her, "Help you wash all that mud off..."

"Oh... Darkseid I don't..." She paused momentarily, her hands reaching up to rest on his chest. "I'm tired." She murmured, looking up at him with pleading eyes, "I've just been working with the furies, and I'm so sore..."

He pressed a finger to her lips, "Then why are you showering? You prefer baths when you're sore after battle."

Her eyebrows shot up, surprised at the small details he had picked up about her, unsure whether to be flattered or scared. "Well... I don't know." She finished, unable to reach a clear answer.

Smiling again, he kissed her forehead and left her to stand by the bath, turning the taps on and pouring in a viscous liquid while the water gushed. After a few moments, the bath was full and brimming with bubbled, he beckoned her over with a finger. Obeying him, Diana cautiously stepped into the bath, feeling the warm water wash away the tension in her muscles. As all but her head and shoulders became submerged in the water, she sighed deeply and smiled, "Thank you."

Without a word, Darkseid sat by her head and cupped her face in his hands, "Anything for my queen." He said eventually, wiping away the dust from her face with his thumb. They remained like this for a while, as Diana buried her cheek into the head radiating from his hand, the room in a peaceful silence apart from the occasional sound of water moving. "I love you, Diana" Darkseid said gently, breaking the silence.

The tension returned to her body as she slowly pulled, his touch now burning her skin. Gulping, she smiled at him and leaned back into the bathtub. Lowering her shoulders into the water, she watched as something she had rarely seen sweep across her Husband's face; hurt. Kicking herself mentally, she watched him rise as this unusual moment of kindness from a violent tyrant was soon to end.

"Nothing to say?" He asked, unable to look at her.

Her throat was dry, "I-I...I don't want to lie to you." She could hear the fear in her own voice, he must have heard it too.

"After all these years..." His voice was low, "Fifteen years of marriage, two children, and you can't even say three words to me."

Her breath became shallow, she knew what happened after this, what always happened after this. She watched his eyes glow, his hands grip the side of the bathtub, "D-Darkseid please..." She whimpered, shivering in the warm water; but still unable to utter the phrase he wanted to hear.

"Why?" He looked at her now, his gaze burning holes into her soft flesh. Not giving her time to respond or to witness his weakness any longer, his hand shifted from the bath to her neck as he pushed her harshly under the water. He held her there, ignoring her kicking and flailing arms as she clawed at his forearm. "Why can't you love me?" His question was unheard by the thrashing Amazon as she desperately tried to break free from his grasp. He let go, and walked away.

Rising from the soapy water, Diana coughed and spluttered as she gasped for air, her heart pounding as her burning eyes locked on the hulking figure closing the bathroom door behind him.

* * *

_Author's Note: Okay, so this chapter mainly focuses on Diana and her relationship with Darkseid, but the next one will be mainly flashbacks and revelations about the past for Clark :) Please continue reading and reviewing, I've had some good input from a few people and any feedback is welcomed :)_

_Drop me a review and tell me what you think! ^-^_


	5. Looking Back

Shayera smiled a little in disbelief, "You want to know everything?"

Nodding, Clark looked at the woman shaking her head, "Yes." He was deadly serious, he needed to know what had happened while he was gone, why Diana had turned.

"Fine." She muttered, leaning back on her chair. "Diana was brought in, put in the cell opposite me, away from the guys, in the female quarters of the dungeon." Clark noted how casually she spoke this. "Nine months later she had her first child and-"

"What?" Clark interrupted. "W-What do you mean first child?" He stammered as he stared into her eyes.

Shrugging, Shayera folded her arms, "Darkseid's baby." She said simply. "I didn't even know she was pregnant until I caught her puking in her cell; and even then she never admitted to what had happened."

"No... No Diana wouldn't..." His voice trailed off as he realised what Shayera was trying to tell him, "Diana wouldn't sleep with him willingly."

"Exactly." Shayera sighed, lowering her gaze, "Se was always too proud, and Darkseid took away the last of that pride when he forced himself upon her."

Clark balled his hands into fists, "I'll kill him." He growled, "He did the worst thing any male could do to an Amazon."

A small, ironic laugh escaped Shayera's lips, "Don't think that Diana was so innocent in all of this, after she had that baby, she changed."

_Sixteen years ago..._

"_Diana, come on, it'll be all right." Shayera assured, her arm stretched through the bars of her cell to reach Diana's limp hand reaching out for her. Her wings fluttered, blowing cool air onto the screaming Amazon facing her._

_She lay, her back again the rough wall of her prison, one hand clutching Shayera's, and the other clawing at the stone ground. "I-I can't..." She whimpered, her eyes closed in agony. Another wail passed her lips as she threw her head back, tars streaming down her reddened face. Her hand travelled to her bloated stomach as she cried out again, her voice hoarse, "S-Shayera... Please, please h-help me..."_

_Shayera's eyes were soft, "Come on, Diana, you're an Amazon... You can get through this." She felt completely helpless as she watched her friend give birth to their captor's child with no support. The guards around them looked on, as if nothing were happening, despite the screams echoing from the walls. _

_Diana's head was tossing from side to side then finally came to rest against the prickly wall, facing Shayera. Her eyes opened wide as the watery blue orbs stared pleadingly at the Thanagarian opposite her. Grasping her hand a little tighter, another whimper broke free and her face crumpled in pain, "D-Don't let go." She whispered, longing for any kind of caring contact in her current state. _

"_I-I'll always be here for you..." Shayera choked, her other arm reaching between the bars to hold her more securely. _

"Sounds like Diana was the victim." Clark pointed out, his gaze never leaving her face.

"She was." Shayera sniffed, tears brimming, "After that, I didn't see her again until we escaped, but I still remembered the last thing she said to me..." Shayera paused, her breath ragged as she held back tears, "Granny Goodness came in after the child was born and took it, and a guard dragged Diana away... Then Diana looked at me and said that it was over... We had lost."

Clark remained silent and placed his hand over hers gently. They stayed like that for a few minutes, when Clark gained the confidence to ask another question. "Did you see her again after that?"

_Eleven years ago..._

_Shayera lay in her cell, her wings enveloping her skeletal body. A noise bounced off the stone walls, followed by another, then another. Flickering shadows were projected onto the wall as footsteps made their way towards her, sounding hurried. "This way." A low voice rasped, and the steps gained a faster pace. _

_A group emerged at the door of her cell, and without hesitation, a slender arm unlocked the metal frame and opened it with a creak. A hand reached down and picked her up by the arm, dragging her into their circle. She didn't resist as she was pulled into a group of familiar faces, they were here; Diana, Bruce, Hal, and Wally. _

_Before they had time to speak, Diana turned and headed to the end of the corridor. He other followed without word,so Shayera did too. Diana and Bruce both carried a flame as the others followed the light source, until they reached a brick wall the the end of the corridor. Diana held the torch out, and Hal took it, the light illuminating his finger, missing it's ring. With agile hands, Diana began lightly tapping the wall in several places, then pushed s stone in the corner back, revealing a small passageway. Glancing back down the corridor, Diana directed them through the hole, then followed herself, pushing the stone back into place. _

_They were now in another room, but they didn't observe their new surroundings for too long as Diana once again walked away from the group, towards a barred, glassless window. As the four came closer, they noticed that she was bending the bars, allowing them to fit through. The window was on ground floor, so they were able to land safely on the floor outside and make their way to a waiting aircraft hidden around a mile away. As they neared the aircraft, only Diana was certain of it's location and beckoned them all over, pointing at something._

"_There's nothing there." Hal muttered, staring blankly at the empty space. _

_Bruce grunted and pushed him forward, "It's her invisible plane, idiot." _

_One by one, they all entered the plane to find two more people sitting inside; Selina Kyle and Steve Trevor. Beaming at Bruce, Selina pounced from her chair and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him against her tightly as a purr vibrated in her throat. Steve was more collected as he approached the Amazon, his arms outstretched. Looking more nervous now, Diana leaned into him, her arms snaking around his torso as the two were reunited. _

Shayera sighed, rubbing her tired eyes, "Then we all got away."

"I don't see how Diana is the bad guy in all of this." Clark said slowly, "She helped you all escape, I mean, that's not bad."

"It was after that when Diana really changed. Up until then, there were slight changes, but nothing too drastic." Shayera looked up at Clark, "She loved Steve, when Darkseid killed him, he killed a part of her too."

Clark closed his eyes and groaned, "No, not Steve too..."

"Darkseid found us around a month later, just as Diana and Steve were getting closer." She ran a hand through her hair, "Diana never disobeyed him again."

"So she changed sides because of Darkseid's force, not out of her own choice." Clark stated rather than asked.

Shayera shook her head, a tear finally dropping from her eyes, "Doesn't matter, she's still one of them now."

"But we can help her!" Clark cried, his hands reaching up to her shoulders, "She's just scared, that's all! We can still save her!"

Shaking her head again, Shayera let more tears slip, "Do you not think we have tried that?"

_Seven years ago..._

_Shayera crashed through the wooden doors of the throne room with her mace. It had been taken from her by Darkseid, but during this invasion she had managed to regain it. Now she had a mission; find Diana and kill her newborn. She knew they were in here, she had heard Darkseid tell Diana to leave with the child when the rebels broke in against all odds. Her heart was pounding as she looked around the room, her eyes finally falling upon the raven haired woman. "Diana!" Shayera cried, "We're here to get you out of here!"_

_Diana didn't move. The child in her arms was crying as she stared up at her former ally. "S-Shayera?" She stammered, taking a step back. _

"_Give me the baby Diana, I have orders to dispose of it, then we can get out of here." Shayera said, swooping towards the Amazon. _

"_I will not let you harm my child!" Diana shouted, dodging out of Shayera's way. _

_Landing on her feet, Shayera turned to face Diana, "You don't understand, that thing has the potential to be even stronger than Darkseid!" She charged at Diana, "It has your Amazon blood, they both do! We can't risk this, Bruce is going to kill the other, it is my duty to kill this one!"_

"_No!" Diana yelled, diving out of the way again. She clutched the child close to her bosom as she dodged each blow expertly, until she was a little too slow and Shayera managed to strike her leg with her mace, sending her crashing to the ground. _

_Her grip on the baby loosened, giving Shayera the chance to snatch the child from it's mother's arms. She took to flight, leaving Diana screaming on the ground. Desperately, Diana ran to the wall, taking down a sword used for decoration. Sprinting, Diana bounded up the large throne and jumped from the very peak of the metal chair, he sword held over her head threateningly. Shayera flew on her side, her eyes catching sight of the Amazon, about to bring a sword down on her. _

_The pain rippled through her body, causing her to drop the child as she tumbled to the ground. Her severed wings floated momentarily as she plummeted to the solid marble floor beneath them, followed by Diana, once again clutching her child t her chest. The impact when they hit the floor created a large creator as dust surrounded them. Coughing, Shayera rose to her feet, failing to ignore the sharp pain in her back, or the blood gushing onto the floor. Through the dust she could see Diana, supported by her knees and one hand and she pushed herself up, still clutching the child. Rage taking over, Shayera gripped her mace and swung it, catching Diana under her chin and sending her flying back a few feet onto her back, her baby now resting in one of her arms by her side. _

_Groaning, Diana looked up through weary eyes to see Shayera stood over her, a look of pain on her face from a mixture of physical agony, and the emotional anguish she felt after that betrayal. "S-Shayera, please-"_

"_Traitor." She accused, he mace raised above her head._

"_N-No, Shayera please understand... I am a mother." Her breath was shallow as blood dripped from the corner of her mouth, "This is my baby, I-I can't let you..."_

_Grunting, Shayera swung for the child, only to have Diana roll quickly out of the way, curling into the foetal position with the child protected by her limbs. Roaring in frustration, Shayera picked up her mace, hearing multiple footsteps marching towards them. It was Darkseid's army, she knew it. Looking from the broken door, back to Diana, she spat at her, "You deserve everything he does to you." Then she proceeded to flee, the stumps on her back twitched as she instinctively attempted to fly, only to once again the agonising pain shoot through her entire back. Growling, she ran, faster than she had ever done before, and left Diana for Darkseid to deal with. _

Clark watched as Shayera stood, turning her back to him and showing him the stumps in her back, "I was hoping they would start to grow back, but I knew they wouldn't."

"I can't believe she'd do that." Clark said gently.

"Neither could I." She sighed, sitting down again, "I never told any one else what had happened, I told them all it was one of Darkseid's warriors... Technically it was."

His stood up, and then pulled her up but her wrists, "I'm sorry." Clark said softly, "I-I... I still don't think Diana's bad."

A sob could be heard as Shayera buried her face in his shirt. "I-I still can't believe that, that she'd hurt me like that." She pulled back, looking up at Clark's square jaw, "I know she was protecting her child, b-but why?"

Clark's eye's had sunk back into his head slightly as the years passed by, but they were still the incredible blue that Shayera remembered, and now they were full of sympathy. "Diana has always been very maternal, and this child is her own flesh and blood; it's not surprising that she is attached to it."

"So attached that she'd try to kill me?"Shayera whispered. "There was a time when we were so close..."

Stroking her hair, Clark sighed again, "I know... We were all close at one point."

Shayera pressed her head against his chest again, "Then it all went wrong..."

_Author's note: Okay, so a lot of flashbacks in this chapter. Hope it's not too many, and it is quite a long chapter because of this as I didn't expect the final flashback to be as long as it was. But over the course of this story, a few things will be revealed in flashbacks like these ones :)_

_Again, please review to tell me what you think! ^-^_


	6. Kiss of Death

"Darkseid, are you coming to bed?" Diana said softly, slipping her head through the door of the throne room. Darkseid was the only one inside, seated in his large, metal chair. He didn't respond. "D-Darkseid..." She repeated.

His head moved slightly, so she was in his line of vision. A heavy sigh came from his throat as he rested his head on his hand, "Come here."

Scuttling forward, Diana kept her eyes low and stopped just few steps in front of his throne. "Darkseid I-I'm sorry." She trembled as she stood before him in her dressing gown, "I just, I-"

"I don't want to hear it." He growled, leaning towards her to pull her in by the waist. She gasped as he placed her on his lap, feeling tiny and fragile in his giant arms. "I know the game you're playing, Diana."

She shifter in his lap, settling down as she tangled her fingers in his. "What game?" She asked, her head on his chest.

"Don't play dumb." He warned, clenching his fist and trapping the Amazon's small limb, "You're trying to flirt, make up for earlier." He felt her tense again, "I'm not stupid."

Her breath caught in her throat as her mouth became dry, "No... No Darkseid I-I wasn't-"

"You've done it before." He stated, twirling her hair around his other hand. He yanked it back, forcing her to arch her back and look up at him, "I know all you tricks."

Tears stun the corners of her eyes, "Darkseid please, I-I... I don't want you to hurt me anymore. I'm sorry, I, I... Please-"

"Be quiet." He said threateningly. "Your apologies mean nothing, I thought you would have learned that by now." He let go of her hand, and still holding her hair, ran it down her exposed throat tenderly, "All I want is for you to say those words."

Closing her eyes, she whimpered, "You know I can't."

Tightening his grip on her hair, he continued to gently caress her neck, "Why can't you get over him?" Anger was present in his voice as he said this, tugging her curls with each word. She winced as he raised his hand.

_Eleven years ago..._

"_Where is she!" Darkseid boomed as he threw Batman to one side harshly, "I will not leave without my wife!" His eyes glowed their furious red as he picked up a tall man by the shirt, "You, where is she hiding!"_

"_D-Down the hall, to your left!" The ma panicked, before being tossed aside like a rag doll._

_Charging through the corridor, Darkseid burst through the small door, cracking the concrete surrounding it. Diana gasped, clutching the yellowing bedsheets to her exposed frame as she took a few steps back from the flying debris. "D-Darkseid!" She cried, her mouth hanging open in shock. _

_A man rushed out from a small bathroom connected, only wearing a pair of combat pants. "Oh... Damn." He murmured, staring up at the seething face of the intruder. _

_Eyes wide, Darkseid looked from Steve to Diana, "Slut!" He roared, lunging for her. His rough hand harshly slapped her across the face, sending her plummeting to the ground as he swung at her again, and again. Struggling to stand, Diana screamed as each blow became harder than the last, leaving her ivory skin red and already bruising. _

"_Take your hands off her!" Steve yelled, diving onto Darkseid's back. _

_Cursing, Darkseid reached back, but couldn't get a grip of the man flailing about on his back. Growling in frustration, he ran backwards, crashing into the wall, embedding sharp chunks of cement into Steve's back. Scrambling to her feet, Diana began to spin, changing into her Wonder Woman outfit, minus her golden lasso which Darkseid had taken from her long ago. "Steve, get out of here!" She shouted._

_Turning, Darkseid let out a hearty laugh, "Well if it isn't Wonder Woman?" _

_Steve swung for him again, his fist crumbling under the impact. "Steve, I said go!" Diana cried, jumping at Darkseid in a vain attempt to distract him. _

"_I won't leave you with him!" Steve replied, catching Diana as Darksied threw her off. _

"_Don't be an idiot.!" She breathed, pushing him out of the way of Darkseid's fist. _

_A sharp pain suddenly stole Diana's attention as she hit the ground, her head throbbing. Groaning, she clutched her bleeding head, and looked up to see the blurred image of Darkseid's hand ready to strike. Unable to move in time, she watched in horror as Steve dove in front of her, taking the full force of Darksied's strength. The blinding pain in her head made it difficult to stand, so she crawled along the floor until she reached Steve's body slumped against what was left of the wall. "S-Steve... Steve say something!" Diana cried desperately._

"_D-Diana... D-Don't give into him." He choked, head lolling to one side, blood dripping from mouth. _

_Laughter could be heard from behind her as she wiped the crimson liquid from his face, "S-Steve you cant die." She murmured, tears in her eyes, "Please Steve..." She moved in close to him, her nose brushing his, "... I-I love you."_

_His twisted arm rested on her shoulder, "I love you too, Diana." He moved in closer, pressing his bleeding lips to hers._

_The laughter behind her sang out again as a pair of hands locked onto her waist. "You really are the kiss of death, my dear." Darkseid chuckled, dragging her away from Steve._

"_Let me you you son of a bitch!" Diana screamed, thrashing about in his arms, somehow managing to pull herself free._

"_Fine, we'll do this the hard way!" Darkseid bellowed, shooting Scarlett beams from his eyes, only to have them deflected by the Amazon's bracelets. _

_Diana grunted, "F-Fuck you." as tears ran down her porcelain skin streaked with her and Steve's blood. _

Darkseid let go of Diana completely, "Go check on the kids before you go to bed." He muttered, pushing her away from him.

"Y-Yes my Lord." She replied, her hand covering her bubbled cheek.

Stumbling down the hall, she hobbled up the stairs to her eldest Child's bedroom, "Daniel, are you in there?" She called out, stepping back as she heard footsteps, followed by the lock clicking open.

"Yeah." He muttered, pulling the door open as he leaned against the frame. "What?"

"Oh, uh, I was just checking on you." She smiled.

He let a chuckle slip, reminding Diana of her Husband, "What, don't you trust me?" He flicked his long, black hair from his face revealing his bright blue eyes.

Diana frowned, "You need a haircut."

Rolling his eyes, he folded his muscular arms, "And you need a band aid."

Blinking, Diana touched her throbbing cheekbone, pulling her hand back to see a small trace of blood. "It's not that bad."

He flashed his white teeth, "Right." He moved from the doorway, letting her walk inside. "What did you do this time?"

"That s my business, not yours." She said simply, standing in the middle of her son's room, "Great Hera Daniel, I thought I told you to clean up in here."

"Whatever." Me murmured, pulling a small medical kit down from his shelves. He wandered back over to her, kicking various boxed and wrappers out of the way, "Here." He said, handing her a plaster.

Diana looked up at her son, it amazed her how her children appeared to be human on the outside, all except for their size. Daniel towered over her, at sixteen he was almost the same size as his father, and didn't show any signs of slowing down. Looking around his room, she noticed a number of books spread across his bad, "What's this?" She asked, picking one up. Cocking her head to the side, she read the title of the book; _The Justice League. _Sighing, she dropped the book back onto the bed. "Why are you reading this?"

Daniel shrugged, "It's... Interesting."

She raised an eyebrow, "You know your father does not approve of your fascination with the history of Earth. If he found out I let you read it he'd have my head."

"And what do you think of it?" He picked up the book, flicking through the pages until he stopped at one, "Wonder Woman."

Tensing, Diana glared at him, "I'm not Wonder Woman."

"But you were." He commented, showing her the picture of Wonder Woman standing in front of the White House smiling.

"The past is irrelevant now." She hissed, slapping the book out of his hand.

A deafening silence engulfed the room as the two stared at each other. "I'm going to check on your sister." She muttered, turning to leave.

"She's already in bed." Daniel muttered, sitting down on his bed as he picked up another book. "Do you ever miss it?" He asked quietly, stroking the cover depicting the Trinity; herself, Batman and Superman.

She looked at the floor, sighing once again, "Goodnight Daniel." She dismissed, closing the door softly behind her.

_Author's Note: Okay, so I bet a lot of you hate Diana right now :') Anyway, I hope you're all enjoying the story so far, I've been reading some of the reviews and taking the comments on board :)  
As always reviews are appreciated as I love to hear from everyone who is reading :) Oh, and tell me what you think of Diana and Darkseid's son ;D_


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